This invention relates to a facile economic method for reducing the pressure drop in packed columns.
Packed columns are used for a variety of applications in the chemical process and related industries. Some of the common uses of packed columns include stripping columns for contact between a gaseous stream and a liquid stream for removal of a material or component from the liquid stream, scrubbing columns for contact and reaction between a scrubbing fluid with a liquid or gaseous stream, extraction columns for concentration of a component in the fluid streams, reaction columns for contact and reaction between liquid and/or gaseous streams, distillation columns for separation and concentration of liquid and gaseous stream components, and the like.
In the design of the packed column, a key factor is the pressure drop of the liquid and/or vapor streams through the selected packing material. During the operation of the packed column, the pressure drop through the packing material may increase due to plugging of the packing, poor liquid or gaseous distribution, breaking of the packing material, use of incorrect packing, incorrect packing procedures and the like. Most packed columns are designed based on empirical data obtained from operation of similar systems. However, when the actual packed column system behaves in an unexpected manner, such that the pressure drop through the column is much higher than predicted or expected, the usual solutions are to substitute the packing with different packing, provide a larger packed column, or redesign all or a portion of the packed column. All of these solutions are costly and time consuming.